Chapter 17

17

Benji

I take another shot of whiskey.

Definitely gonna pay for this tomorrow.

It's Saturday night and I don't care. We won our football game against the Kansas Titans this afternoon and the Rebels are on top of the world. Nothing's going to bring me down. Except Grace.

Every time she crosses my mind —which feels like almost every minute of the day— I try to block it out. Block out the pain.

How could I have let this happen?

Oliver Benjamin, no strings attached. Oliver Benjamin, the cool guy who doesn't commit. Benji, scoring all the ladies. And now? Now I'm just a heartbroken and miserable lump.

I'm comfortable on the barstool when Kade comes up behind me. He rests his hands on my shoulders. "Don't you think you've had enough?" He gives my shoulders a squeeze. "Let's back it down, man."

I turn to face him. "Fuck off." I don't need him rubbing it in my face.

Kade sits on the barstool next to mine. "It's been two weeks, Benji." I try to meet his gaze, but he looks blurry.

"Have you talked to her?"

"Who?"

Kade sighs. "To Grace."

"Nah." I rub my hand on my neck. "It's over."

Kade leans in. "Look, I'm not going to get in the middle of this, but you and Miles need to call a truce or something."

"Abe's moving out of here at the end of the month… moving in with his girlfriend. I'm gonna take his room." I reach for the whiskey bottle to pour myself another shot. Kade pushes the bottle away from me.

I scowl. "The hell?"

Kade needs to let me just soak in my own misery and leave me the hell alone.

I can't say I'm awake, but I'm not dead anyway. I can't open my eyes, and my mouth feels like a cotton field. I try to turn my head, but it throbs, and my neck is stiff.

"Morning." I'm not alone.

I slowly open one eye. I'm on the basement couch at the 1800 House where I've been staying since Miles threw my ass to the curb.

The room is dimly lit with only the bathroom light illuminating the family room. I run my tongue over my teeth.

What'd I do? Eat a skunk?

I open my other eye and Kade's face comes into focus. He hands me a bottle of water and a few pain relievers. I sit up and swallow the medication and down half the water bottle.

"Go easy," Kade warns. "Don't wanna see you throw up again."

I rub my eyes. "Throw up?"

Kade shakes his head. "You really tied one on last night."

"I don't remember that. Where'd I get sick?"

"Oh, let's see… the yard, the sidewalk, the neighbor's rosebush, and the side of my car."

I wince. "Sorry," I grumble. I take another drink from the water bottle. "The side of your car, huh?"

"Yeah. Some guys from Phi Omega grabbed the hose and cleaned it up. Chance and Cogan helped me get you onto the couch."

My cheeks burn and I drop my chin. "Sorry," I mumble.

"Hey, I'm gonna take off and head home. You gonna be okay?"

I look up to Kade and squint. "You stay here all night?"

He points to the chair across the room draped with a blanket. "Right there, buddy."

"I've gotta get my shit together."

"Agreed."

"I don't know what to do about Miles."

"You'll get it figured out. You guys have been friends for a long time."

"…and Grace." I sigh. "I can't just let it end like this. She's completely ruined me for everyone else." My head throbs and I shield my eyes with my arm. I let out a groan.

"I have to get her back," I croak.

"I'm sure you will," Kade assures me.

I uncover my eyes and put Kade into focus. "Really?"

"I've never seen you like this about a girl. I suspect you're not gonna be happy until you get her back."

"I really like her." I try to sit up.

Kade smirks. "I have a feeling it's a little more than that, don't you?"

I down some more water. "Any ideas how I can win her back?" Another drink. "And Miles too, for that matter."

Sean comes down the stairway and plops down on the other end of the couch.

"You gonna live, Benji?" Sean asks and tosses a pillow into my lap.

"He's upright," Kade says with a grin.

"You're lucky you didn't puke on the Mustang." Sean's prized possession is his restored 1969 Ford Mustang.

I plop my head back on my pillow. "Yeah, about last night?—"

"It's okay." Sean squeezes my shin. "Shit happens, but you've gotta get that girl back."

"How am I supposed to do that with Miles around? We practically beat the shit out of each other."

Sean and Kade look at each other. "He's said a few things," Kade admits. "He might be feeling a little guilty."

"You definitely need to find a way to sweep Grace off her feet and win enough points doing it so that Miles can see you're really serious about her," Sean says as he rises from the couch.

"How?"

"You'll think of something," Sean says as he heads toward the stairway with Kade closely behind. "Girls like sappy shit," Sean adds halfway up the stairway.

"See you, man," Kade calls.

My friends are right. I need to figure out a way to win back my girl and make sure her brother doesn't kill me in the process.

Sappy shit, huh? He's right. What girl doesn't like sappy shit.